MOY HOUSE AND GATEPIERS (Ref:2275)

This building is in the Moray Council and the
Dyke And Moy Parish.
It is a category A building and was listed on 26/01/1971.

Group Items: N/A,
Group Cat: N/A,
Map Ref: NJ 015 599.

Description

Colin (Collen) Williamson (of Dyke) 1752 and 1762. John Adam,

1762-3. Alexander Ross, 1870.

3-storey mid 18th century classical mansion with E and W

5-bay elevations; flanking early-mid 18th century lower

3-storey wings project at E forming U-plan court; further

irregular 2-storey 1870 gabled ranges N and S.

Centre 3-storey, 5-bay block cherry-pointed squared tooled

ashlar with simulated cherry-pointing over harled rubble at

raised basement, W front. Harled rubble elsewhere, except

tooled rubble to 1870 work. Tooled and polished ashlar

dressings.

W FRONT: centre porticoed entrance in narrow centre bay

approached by flight of steps oversailing raised basement;

round-headed entrance flanked by side lights with engaged

Roman Doric columns supporting cornice; Venetian landing

window above with Ionic columns and deep moulded entablature;

naive mask to keystone.

E FRONT: symmetrical 3-storey, 5-bay frontage with entrance

in centre of raised basement and 3-bay advanced flanking

wings (wings 1752 or earlier), each with blocked entrance in

re-entrant angle. Round-headed centre door under corniced

doorpiece with flanking thin engaged Ionic columns. Long

centre 1st floor window (window possibly lengthened at later

date to accommodate balcony, now disappeared). Symmetrical

2-window return gables to earlier wings.

Low 2nd storey with small windows to both portions of 18th

century mansion; 6-, 9-, 12- and 15-pane (some 2-pane

replacements in frontage) glazing with some thick astragals

and some blind windows; flat skews with moulded underside and

run-off skewputts to earlier wings; moulded eaves cornice to

centre 1862-3 block. Coped and necked end and wallhead stacks

to earlier wings; corniced twin ridge stacks to centre block.

Gabled and piended slate roofs. 1870 additions with 2-pane

glazing; canted bay window in E front; gabled and slated

roof.

Service court at S flanked by pair rusticated ashlar

gatepiers with ball finials (1 missing). Court linked at S

to 2-storey service buildings with 3-bay S front and

forestair at E gable leading to 1st floor dwelling and

round-headed entrance with flanking lights.

INTERIOR OF MAIN HOUSE: cantilevered stone staircase with

moulded risers and underside and decorative cast-iron

balusters. Moulded stairhall ceiling.

FORMER DINING ROOM: centre door from landing with corniced

overdoor (to landing) and pedimented overdoor to room;

fielded panelled doors and window shutters; carved overmantel

with modern grate.

FORMER DRAWING ROOM: ornate plaster centre ceiling rose and

moulded cornice; fielded panelled doors with moulded

surrounds; carved wooden overmantel to original grate with

marble slip and black enamel surround with brass insets with

portraits of King (?George III) and Prince of Wales; panelled

dado.

2nd floor centre bedroom with heavy lugged doorpiece to half

landing.

2 vaulted wine cellars in raised basement; guilloche moulded

ceiling cornice in ground floor SW room (former 'low dining

room'); fielded panelling to other doors and window shutters.

GATEPIERS: pair square rusticated ashlar gatepiers with

moulded cornices supporting ball finials flank 2 entrance at

W.

Notes

House stands on old site. Burial ground (probably earlier
Moy church site) to E.
Outer wings of 18th century house may be 'House of Moy built
by Collen Williamson', 1752 flanking 'auld house' demolished
for $5 and replaced by J Adam centre block. Alternative
designs by Robert Adam prepared in 1759 but rejected in
favour of those of his brother John, 1762-3.
Moy was Campbell of Cawdor property, acquired by Major George
Grant in 1733, rebuilt by Sir Ludovic Grant of Castle Grant
1762-3. Passed to Grants of Shewglie (Glenurquhart) and
Glenmorriston. Various owners since 1922.
Entrance at E side of house of importance for it served the
approach by ferry over the Findhorn at Broom of Moy, from
where all travellers from E would have crossed and approached
house. Findhorn bridged in 1799-1800 when carriage traffic
could cross river and therefore use W approach to house.
Domestic ice house sited W of mansion.

Buildings are assigned to one of three categories according to their relative importance. All listed buildings receive equal legal protection, and protection applies equally to the interior and exterior of all listed buildings regardless of category.

ACategory A

Buildings of national or international importance, either architectural or historic, or fine little-altered examples of some particular period, style or building type. (Approximately 8% of the total).

BCategory B

Buildings of regional or more than local importance, or major examples of some particular period, style or building type which may have been altered. (Approximately 51% of the total).

C(S)Category C(S)

Buildings of local importance, lesser examples of any period, style, or building type, as originally constructed or moderately altered; and simple traditional buildings which group well with others in categories A and B. (Approximately 41% of the total).